Examine the ways that men and women are portrayed as types, devoid of any individual identity.

To what extent are the societies depicted in the texts responsible for this?
In Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Tale men and women are depicted as types, lacking in human

emotion and individual identity. In Gilead men and women adopt specific roles as: Guards,

Commanders, Wives, Marthas and Handmaids. These roles define them and unify them within the set

groups in Gilead, all working in unison for one sole purpose, to ensure that the handmaids bare children for the wives, in order to sustain the population of Gilead. In Jonathan Swifts poetry men

and women are satirised, depicted as objects and lacking in substance. Often described and

characterised as parts, not completely whole. Eighteenth Century society often reduced both men and

women to stereotypes, they were expected to behave in a particular manner, adopting specific set

roles, rather than developing and exploring their own originality and individuality. Their status within

society defined them and consequently stripped them of their own individual identity, aiding the sates control of society. Similarly in George Orwells Nineteen Eighty-Four, men and women are expected

to fulfil similar roles as depicted in eighteenth century society, resulting in the state being better able

to control the individual within society. This was often done through the control and surveillance of

relationships, specifically sexual relationships.

In Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Tale, women are stripped of their individual identity; they

become mere tools used for procreation rather than individuals with their own desires and feelings.

Offred, the protagonist of the novel, goes for a routine check- up with the doctor to ensure that she is

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healthy enough to bear children or whether she has become pregnant with the Commanders child. During her check-up the reader witnesses the detachment that Offred feels, I lie down on the examining tableanother sheet suspended from the ceilingintersects me so the doctor will never see my face. Offred separates herself, not wanting to be involved in what is happening. She removes

herself from the situation by viewing her body not as her own, but, separate from herself and who she

is. She becomes just another Handmaid with no face and no identity. Danita J. Dodson Argued that The Handmaid ultimately confesses her own contribution to the dystopian situation of Gilead.

Although predominantly, the society depicted in the novel, creates these nameless and faceless

women. Offred, too, has inflicted this upon herself, as she has conformed to society. However, she

uses this as a coping mechanism in order to deal with the various circumstances that she has been

forced into, by removing any emotion or feeling attached to this event. All meaning and emotion, involved in the euphoric moment of discovering one is pregnant, is lost, highlighting societys view of

sexual relationships and the sole purpose of Gilead, to procreate. The doctor offers to impregnate Offred as he says it is unlikely that the Commander will be able to impregnate her Itd only take a minute honey. its a generic term. We are all honey. The use of the word honey is ironic here.

Throughout the novel events such as this are devoid of sentiment however, the doctor brings emotion into this by calling her honey he attempts to remove the initial cold and clinical feel of the encounter, attempting to emotionally connect with her. Atwoods fixation on the rapid decline in birth

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rates in Canada during the late seventies and early eighties is reflected throughout the novel. During

this time the population growth of Canada had dropped to its lowest level in recorded history, due to

social and economic issues resulting in an imbalanced gender ratio of significantly more men than

women, causing great issues for future generations and the long term impact on the economy and the

sustainability of its population.

During The Ceremony in The Handmaids Tale, Offred and the commander participate in a ritual in

order to conceive. This should be emotional, passionate and immensely personal, however, it is turned

into a spectacle and a task where each person involved is assigned a specific role. An intense and

emotional act of love becomes a very clinical and constrained process, stripping the Wife, the

Commander and Offred of any individuality and self. The reader witnesses how society controls sexual relationships, as Serena Joy-the commanders wife, is involved, whose role is to monitor the ritual. This is done to ensure there is no affection or love, only the duty of conceiving a child. My red skirt hitched up to my waist, but no higher. Below the commander is fuckingthe lower half of my body Again Offred separates herself from this situation; she views it as him having sex with part of her body and not her as a whole. This image is emphasised through the use of the comma here my waist, but no higher. The comma creates the separation and detachment, which Offred creates

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between her and the commander. The description of Offreds skirt being red is ironic as this colour
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traditionally symbolises passion and love. However, it creates a significant contrast between the

feelings that should exist and the coldness and detachment felt. Atwood highlights how prior to the

sexual revolution women were regarded similarly to the way that the Handmaids are treated within the

novel. Sexual liberation from the nineteen-sixties to the nineteen-eighties challenged traditional codes

of behaviour relating to sexuality. Due to the introduction of the contraceptive pill, women gained a

great deal of control and power; this was then followed by the acceptance of pre-marital sex and the

legalisation of abortions. Highlighting the subservient nature of the women depicted in the novel,

contrasted with the modern woman.

Similarly in Jonathan Swifts The Progress of Marriage, the sexual relationship between the couple

depicted in the poem, displays a great lack of passion and emotion within their marriage. The young

bride, who has married a significantly older Dean, is depicted as frivolous and indifferent towards her husband and her role as a wife. To place him at hinders end. The young bride maintains a distance

between herself and her husband, showing no emotion or attachment towards him. The use of the word place suggests that he is an object or possession that is easily manipulated and controlled; it
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also displays her dominance over him. However, this also suggests that she is reliant on him, if only

for financial reasons. During the eighteenth century marriages were often regarded as business

transactions between men and women in order to gain both wealth and status. Throughout the poem
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Swift highlights the influences that the society had on marriages and relationships during this period.

The reader witnesses how the husband and wife are forced to visit the bath as they are unable to conceive. she patiently complies, Merley because her friends advise; Here the reader witnesses

how public the relationship has become, everyone aware of the problems within the marriage. This

also displays how easily the couple, especially the wife is manipulated by others and in turn

manipulates her husband, showing the great influence society had on relationships in the eighteenth

century. The structure of this quotation suggests that her friends and society, dictate the relationship

between her and her husband. The use of the semi-colon reinforces this. It creates a dramatic end to

the sentence which illustrates how society dictated what was right. There is a great loss of identity of

both the young bride and the Dean as they are unable to fulfil their roles as husband and wife. The

husband is unable to impregnate his wife and the wife is unable to give her husband an heir. However,

the Dean does fulfil his role as a husband to support and take care of his wife financially, however the

wife being unable to bear children, becomes obsolete. During the eighteenth century women were

expected to bear and raise children. However, the young bride cannot fulfil her duty as a woman, and

therefore loses her identity as she no longer has what society considered to be a purpose.

In George Orwells 1984, the cold and loveless marriage between Katherine and Winston, which had

been arranged by the state for the purpose of procreation, reflects similarly to the relationship depicted

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in Swifts The Progress of Marriage and Atwoods The Handmaids Tale. Throughout 1984 Winston

on several occasions thinks of Katherine and how she was often cold and callous, and how their relationship lacked love and passion. To embrace her was like embracing a jointed wooden image.

She is depicted as cold and hard, unloving. She loses her identity, as the description reduces her to an

image, and nothing more. Describing her as wooden creates the image of an uncompassionate and

emotionless person, stripping Katherine of her identity, due to her conformity to the state. The contrast with the word embrace, a strong word evoking emotion and passion, contrasted with the description of a wooden image, amplifying hers, and the states, detachment and callousness.

Similarly in Jonathan Swifts poem The Beautiful Young Nymph Going To Bed, Swift, and the society

in which Swift wrote, often sought to stereotype individuals and strip them of their identity, in order to maintain control over those who did not conform to societys ideals. Prostitutes were seen as a

threat to this control and the moral fabric of society; therefore by stripping them of any personality

and individuality it made the division of such people easier. The prostitute, depicted in the poem, is
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described as hollow. She has no identity other than that of her profession. Her Eye-Brows from a Mouses Hide dexterously her Plumpers draws that serve to fill her hollow Jaws. Here the reader

sees how this woman is dehumanised. She is no longer whole and is literally falling apart. Swift uses

Word a great deal of grotesque imagery throughout the poem to highlight this. The reference tocount: a mouse

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suggests that she lives in squalor and that her social status, in society, is that of a rodent, thus displaying societys harsh and dim view of those in this profession. Swift also satirises romantic

literature, as the poem initially resembles that of a love poem, when women were often described as

perfect, noting all their beauty and attributes. However, here Swift not only mocks that, but also

shows that in actual fact their beauty is not real but fake, something that women fabricate in order to entice men. By doing this Corinna becomes every prostitute and every woman, displaying how society often groups people together, stripping them of any individuality, aiding the states control. During the 1700s women of higher class, although having little control or authority, were well kept

by their husbands. However, for women of lower classes, who were unable to find husbands,

prostitution was one of the few ways they could look after and support themselves. Therefore showing

how society forced women into specific roles yet continued to judge them for the choices that in many

cases they were forced to make.

In George Orwells Nineteen-Eighty-Four, men and women are separated and stripped of their

individual identities. The reader witnesses the control and power that the party implement, through the

restrictions of relationships and socialising, and the prohibition of sexual relationships amongst men and women. This is seen in Julia and Winstons relationship throughout the novel. By changing societys view of sex, Julia -who is later seen as a very sexually confident woman, is a member of the

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antisex league and appears to be committed to the party. When Winston first sees her she seems very

committed to the party, he initially hates her as he sees her as every other female party member and thus the state is initially successful in limiting the sexual desires of people in Eurasia. Winston disliked her from the very first moment of seeing herhe disliked almost all women, especially the young pretty ones. Here we see how Winston, a man against the party, has been influenced by them

and the society, he does not hate Julie because she is a member and strong follower of the party, he

hates her because she reminds him of he is forbidden to do, both forming relationships and sexual

relationships. Throughout 1984 Orwell highlights the taboo attitude towards sexual relationships. In Eurasia the society is unified as they call each other brother and sister, therefore everyone becomes

the same, all uniqueness within the country has been removed. This not only strips them of their

individual identities, but also creates an idea of incest between men and women in society, aiding the

states goal of restricting sexual relationships.

In Atwoods The Handmaids Tale, women become unified through society and the state, causing a

loss of identity. Offred, has had her name taken from her and is now named after the Commander, she

becomes a possession, a part of the home and no longer an individual or human being. This is emphasised through the of in her name, as it shows that she now has an owner, someone who

controls her. This also suggests to the reader that the Handmaids are seen as commodities that can be

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disposed of. This woman has been my partner for two weeks. I dont know what happened to the other onethis one is there in her place. Here we see how easily each woman can be replaced by another. Offred refers to her as this woman and this one she too strips Offglen of her identity, by

referring to her as what she is rather than who she is as a woman. Offglen has been replaced with a

new handmaid and takes on the same name, thus showing the loss of identity. They are all the same,

easily replaceable, this creates the image that they are disposable amplifying the view that they are possessions completely under the states control. Offred notes that she too is a replacement for the

previous Offred, each girl blends into the next and is not thought to be an individual, but just another

girl attempting to fulfil the purpose of conceiving a child. Offred also losses her identity as a mother

and a wife, when she loses her daughter, and although her role now is to have children, the child will not be hers it will belong to the wife, Serena Joy. I have been obliterated for her. I am only a shadow nowYou can see it in her eyes: I am not there. Offred, on seeing a picture of her child, the reader

witnesses how she has lost her identity and who she is, not only has her child been taken away but,

her daughter now no longer know who she is. Any part of motherhood that Offred had previously held

on to has gone, as now even her daughter does not know who she is. There is strong language used her to emphasise the control and the force with which the state gains control, the word obliterated

evokes and image of destruction, with nothing remaining, suggesting that there is no longer any part

of Offred left within her own daughter. The use of the colon creates dramatic pause before the

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sentence ends with, I am not there emphasising the loss that Offred feels not only for her daughter

but for her own identity and self.

Similarly this same image of women being possessions is shown in Jonathan Swifts, The Furniture of a Womans Mind. Here Swift objectifies women. This is seen in the title of the poem. Describing the content of a womans mind as furniture creates the image of possessions and of something that is part

of the home, an object that can be easily manipulated and moved around. Swift displays the loss of

identity for women. As they are looked at for their exterior attributes rather than for what is on the inside. This also depicts societys view of a womans place, which was thought to be in the home. A womans role was to rear children and look after her home. This was a common image of women

during the eighteenth century. This was a time when women were considered inferior to men and

were very reliant on them. They were unable to do many things without the help of men, such as sign contracts, vote or work to support themselves. This is reflected throughout the poem, Swift highlights womens stupidity, While all she prates has nothing in it; Whole hours with a coxcomb sithalf the words pronouncing wrong; The woman depicted in the poem is not named, therefore Swift

stereotypes women here by grouping them together. Indicating that they are all the same, lacking in
Word count: individuality and uniqueness. Swift has also highlighted womens vanity and ignorance. Katherine M.

Roger argued that many of these attacks on women, however, are conventional dealing with such

traditional feminine weakness as frivolity and affectation, chatter and overpreoccupation with

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dress Women are depicted as stupid and not having a great deal of substance as what they say does

not have any relevance or meaning. Swift, like eighteenth century society, stereotypes women here and controls womens image, and depicts it as something beautiful on the outside, like an ornament

within the home, but lacking any personality. By doing this, women are stripped of their identity and

individuality. The poem itself, when compared to other poems by Swift, lacks any complexities that

are seen in others, the structure of the poem is very simple, emphasising the view that society has

towards women and their simplicity.

In The Handmaids Tale, there is a great lack of human emotion or love between men and women.

This is seen in the relationship between Offred and the commander, and the relationship between the

commander and Serena Joy, which are often contrasted to the memories Offred has of her previous

life with her husband Luke, and the relationship she later forms with Nick. Coral Ann Howell argues that heterosexual love is the excess term which the system can neither accommodate nor supress. Its stubborn survival continually subverts the regimes claim to absolute authority Throughout the

novel Offred uses her memories of those that she loves, and those that loved her, in order to help her

cope, and to maintain her identity, by remembering those that had loved her, as the person that she was before Gilead. The Ceremony and the build-up to The Ceremony reflect this. As Offred lies upon the bed resting her head against Serena joy, Fully clothed in healthy white cotton under drawers Offred is fully dressed therefore creating a very unisexual and romantic atmosphere,
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emphasising the lack of passion in the act of sex. This is a service or duty to society, which involves

neither pleasure or pain. Men and women become simple tools within Gilead, in order to reach the

sole purpose of the society. Throughout the ceremony there are constant references and images of pregnancy and fertility, reminding them of the purpose of The Ceremony. The narrator describes the canopy above the bed the sail of a ship. Big bellied sails The reference to ships here symbolises

pregnancy and a journey, a journey that Offred and everyone involved in Gilead has under taken in

order to have children and maintain the population, evoking images of the birth of a ship, highlighting

the goal of this process to have a child. The ship also suggests that the Handmaids are vessels, empty

only intend to carry a child and have no other purpose or role, stripping them of their individual

identity.

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Bibliography:
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The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood

George Orwell Nineteen Eighty Four, With a Critical Introduction and Annotations by Bernard Crick We Lived in the Blank White Spaces: Rewriting the paradigm of Denial in Margaret Atwoods the Handmaids Tale by Danita J. Dodson Trust Me: Reading the Romance Plot in Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Tale by Madonne Miner Women, Power and Subversion social strategies in British Fiction 1778-1860 by Judith Lowder Newton Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell My Female Friends: The Misogyny of Jonathan Swift by Katherine M. Rogers The Progress of Marriage by Jonathan Swift The Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed by Jonathan Swift The Furniture of a Womans Mind by Jonathan Swift

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